THE YOUNG man wearing the broadest smile in the Geelong change rooms following the Cats' nine-point win over Essendon was Steven Motlop.

And the dashing half-forward had plenty to smile about after shaking off a knee problem to kick two miraculous goals in a heart-stopping final quarter.

"You know the game is on the line, and that's what you want to be – a player that stands up when big games are on the line," he told AFL.com.au.

"I was probably a bit quiet in the first three quarters, but I stood up when it mattered."

Motlop appeared to have suffered a serious knee injury early in the last quarter after being run down by Bombers speedster Courtenay Dempsey.

He hobbled from the field and was immediately attended to by the club doctor.

"That's the knee I had surgery on during the pre-season," Motlop explained. "Anyone with patella tendonitis knows if you land on it or touch it, it's really sensitive.

"So it took a little bit of time to warm it up again and then it was all right."

Motlop returned to the field in stunning fashion, producing two dazzling pieces of skill in the closing stages, both of which handed Geelong the lead.

In the first instance, he scooted past Essendon defenders Michael Hurley and Cale Hooker and dribbled through a banana-style goal.

Then, a short time after Joe Daniher had put the Bombers back in front, Motlop crumbed the ball off a pack and slotted an audacious banana kick, on the run, from 35m out.

"It feels like it all happens within a couple of seconds," Motlop said. "I know goals like that get the boys up.

"They love the excitement and I love playing alongside them."

But why go for banana kicks instead of drop punts?

"I love 'em," Motlop said. "I don't have a left foot, mate.

"Some guys do and some guys don't, so I'm pretty blessed that I'm good at the check-sides."

And Motlop's coach certainly isn't complaining.

"He's just such a special player," Cats coach Chris Scott said. "We think he's going to get better.

"He missed a shot with a drop punt but he kicks the bananas, so banana away!"